Madness has always been at the root of Lewis Carroll’s 1865 classic Alice in Wonderland—which is exactly why the Jasper Junior/Senior High School’s drama club chose it for their annual theatrical production.
“I think the story will always be relevant because there are so many ways that people can relate to the themes and the characters,” said grade 11 student Kiersten Polard, who played the starring role of Alice. “Life isn’t as crazy as Wonderland, but I still think it is a place that people will be able to connect with forever.”
The club put on two productions of the show during the evening of June 7 and 8.
As the lights went down in the high school’s gymnasium on opening night, a spotlight shined on a confused girl dressed in blue and white with a mop of curly blonde hair. The show followed Alice as she tumbled down a rabbit hole, after a dapperly dressed white hare, into the elusive world of Wonderland—where she soon found herself stumbling over a hookah-smoking caterpillar, rabbits talking backwards and a queen that was after her head.
“Wonderland is kind of messy in the sense that it doesn’t really make sense, but somehow it all works, and I think that’s a lot like life,” said grade 11 student Jada Moorhouse, who played the Mad Hatter. “In Wonderland it’s easier to understand that life is weird because everyone is mad in Wonderland.
“Yeah, we’re all mad here.”
Both Polard and Moorhouse said their favourite scene was when Alice first encountered the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse and the March Hare, as the three have one of the most unusual tea parties filled with riddles that have no answers, nonsensical stories and watches that can’t tell the time.
“That scene offers such a different dynamic between the characters. You have the March Hare who is very quick, Alice who is just confused, the lazy Dormouse and then you have the Mad Hatter who is clearly insane,” Moorhouse said.
“With this character I really got to play around with the idea that the people who are mad are actually brilliant, but they are so brilliant to the point where they actually are mad.”
Despite a full house on opening night, the young actresses, who have been performing for years, said they weren’t nervous.
“When it comes to the show you just have to go out there and do your best,” Moorhouse said. “Whatever happens, happens—you just do it and have some fun.”
Polard added that acting in front of an audience is always exciting for her.
“The audience really feeds your energy which makes you perform better,” she said.
As the school’s drama club closed the curtains on another year, both Polard and Moorhouse hope this latest production inspires students to get involved with the club next year.
“It bothers me that people don’t get involved with drama because they think it’s uncool or only certain people can do it,” Polard said. “There’s some of our cast this year that I never thought would be involved but we’re all having a blast.
“Even if you think it’s not your thing just give it a try. I think people would really be surprised at what the theatre can offer.”
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
